At the Fingertips of Death
by The May Waters
Summary: He has to forget, he has to forget he knows the runaway daughter of a rich man, he has to forget the blond he rescued in Hargeon, he has to forget her excited face when she showed him her guild mark. He has to forget her to save her.
1. Waking Up at the Start of the End of the

At the Fingertips of Death

May Waters

-oOo-

Chapter 1

Waking Up At the Start of the End of the World

She knew the Fire Demon standing before her would be the last thing she saw, and yet she didn't care. Her heart knew it was better to go this way so everyone would pass on much easier. As it loomed ever closer and larger she let her whip fall to the ground, the man standing next to her looked to her in alarm, but then in the next moment he was shut away screaming out her name. The Demon expected her to fall to her knees, but she would not yield, she would die standing straight backed and welcoming him as though he were an old friend. Her face broke into a smile for one last time, and Lucy Heartfilia raised her arms in a welcoming hug, the heat of his skin already burning her flesh past recognition. Just as she was to be consumed, someone jumped in front of her and everything went dark.

-oOo-

Lucy trod along the side of the river, letting her stride fall in a rocking pattern with the fall and rise of her arms as though she were flying through the crystalline blue sky. The friendly boatmen called out to her, reminding her of her safety and she hopped forward a few steps just for fun. Plue trotted to keep up, shaking slightly and following her walking and hopping pattern. The top of the guild building situated on the side of Magnolia peeked over the tops of the buildings and she smiled at just the feel of thinking she would soon be inside with her nakama. Plue disappeared at the door to avoid being squashed by yet another guild fight. It was surprisingly calm inside and Lucy was left to peruse the job board for something Natsu might like to do. She heard him enter the guild while she was looking and just as she reached for a promising request, the words which came out of her teammate's mouth made her and the rest of the guild stop in their tracks.

"Hey Lisanna, let's go on a job together!"

"Huh?" Lisanna turned away from the counter to stare at her childhood best friend, her eyes briefly passed over Lucy who was watching them with wide eyes.

"I thought you might want to go on a mission together now that everything has calmed down." Natsu grinned at her, Happy swooped in to float by his head with a concerned look on his face. Lucy let her hand fall and she quickly backed away from the board and disappeared out one of the side doors of the guild. She headed back up the street and into her apartment, she'd go back later and find a smaller job she could handle.

-oOo-

"Don't you normally go with Lucy?" Lisanna was very confused at Natsu's sudden eagerness to go on a mission with her.

"Yeah, but Lucy always gets tired of going on dangerous missions and since everything has calmed down for a bit I thought I'd give her a break and go with you. We haven't hung out together for quite a while," He rubbed the back of his head feeling a little awkward. Happy swept over to the counter and sat on it, tired of hovering in the air next to his best friend.

"Can I have a fish?" With this one question everything in the guild seemed to go back to normal.

"Alright, I'll go with you this time." Lisanna agreed, her eyes searching for the blond head which had been there moments before.

"I'll go grab a mission request!" Natsu bounded over to the board and grabbed the paper Lucy had been looking at. He didn't even notice when Levy stood up to go talk to Gajeel about the recent development of Lucy and Natsu not going on a mission together, something was wrong.

-oOo-

Natsu sat in the corner of his house, clutching his head. It felt as though his whole body was burning and he was slowly being consumed by flames he couldn't eat. Happy was curled up in the hammock sleeping, unaware of what was going on with his best friend. _I can't let her get hurt, I have to shut her away, I have to save her._ Tears spelled down his cheeks as flashes of what he was trying to forget replayed themselves on the back of his eyelids like never ending movies. Natsu was determined to save _her_ by forgetting.

-oOo-

In the morning, once Lucy was sure Natsu and Lisanna would be gone, she headed to the guild. It was mostly empty as a lot of people had chosen to go on missions and the board was greatly picked over. Taking a deep breath she found a few requests which were just around the city of Magnolia. Once they were approved by Mira and her stamp, she was off. Loke and Lucy worked as a pair, making deliveries and working shops, helping garden, and all sorts of around the house chores for overwhelmed mothers, cute grandmothers, and crotchy old grandfathers. By the time she returned home with a pocketful of food money, she was exhausted. Lucy buried herself in her pink blankets, breathing in the soft smell of sakura blossoms. Loke curled up behind her, knowing just how much she was missing Natsu.

-oOo-

"Why did you ask me to go on a mission with you Natsu?" Lisanna sighed, curling her legs into her body as they sat near the small fire.

"'Cause you're my friend," He looked confused.

"Your partner is Lucy though, I haven't seen you do anything without her by your side."

"Lucy?" His eyebrows crinkled together. "Who's Lucy?"

"Lucy Heartfilia, you met her in Hargeon and brought her to the guild. She was the daughter of a millionaire and she ran away from home-" Lisanna drifted off. "Ringing any bells at all?"

"Oh did someone new join the guild? I'll have to give them a proper welcome." He grinned over at her.

"She's been with us for about a year now Natsu,"

"Oh, well I guess it doesn't matter so much then."

"Natsu, I'm pretty sure you were in love with her."

"How can I be in love with a person I don't even know?"

"I'm going to bed, see you in the morning."

"Night," Natsu's eyes watered as the burning from the night before began to return. Flashes of blond hair flooded his brain and the image of an excited face holding up a pink version of the guild mark on her right hand. He had to forget.


	2. I am in Misery

Chapter 2

I am in Misery

_You know what you have to do._ The voice whispered in his ear. Natsu curled in on himself, screaming in agony. He had returned early in the morning, heading for home immediately while Lisanna went back to the guild to report their success. He could feel the sweat rolling off his shoulders, he wanted to cry. It seemed like an impossible task what he had to do, racked with pain over losing what he held most dear.

-oOo-

"You want to do some small missions together Lu-chan?" Levy asked sitting down next to her friend at the bar.

"Yeah, that'd be fun." Mira spread a set of papers in front of them.

"These are some of the ones I'd suggest for you two."

"Thanks Mira," Levy started to sift through them, pulling out possibilities and handing them to Lucy who chose which ones she'd be willing to work on.

"Shrimp," A rough voice greeted from behind.

"Hi Gajeel," Levy spun around on her stool to face the giant of a man.

"I'm going on the jobs with you and bunny girl."

"Alright, is that okay with you Lu-chan?"

"Yeah."

It was silent for a long while as Levy and Lucy sorted through missions and Gajeel watched them. The doors to the guild swung open and Lisanna entered the hall, rushing towards her sister.

"Oh you're back, did the mission go well?" Mira greeted.

"Yes it was fine, I need to talk to you about something though."

"Just let me serve these drinks okay?" Once Mira had made her rounds she and Lisanna stepped behind the bar to talk quietly.

"What's going on?"

"Something is wrong with Natsu."

"He didn't get injured on the mission did he?"

"I don't know, I brought up Lucy and he claims he has no idea who she is."

"What?" Mira looked up in surprise, glancing over at the blond who was laughing

"I'm really confused, I mentioned tons of things about her and he acted as though she never existed before." Lisanna took a deep breath. "He was even surprised to hear she's been in the guild for a year."

"Where is he now?"

"He went home."

"We have to get Lucy out of here before he comes in." Mira swallowed and quickly approached the trio. "Why don't you just take all the requests and spend a few days out and about?"

"We should try it Lu-chan, it'd be one big adventure." Gajeel was giving Mira a knowing look and Lisanna knew he had been listening.

"Yeah, let's go pack so we can leave. Meet at the station in an hour?" Lucy and Levy walked towards the door, departing out into the warm morning air.

"You know," Lisanna claimed just as Gajeel made to walk away.

"Of course I know, it wasn't that hard to hear you."

"Do you know what's going on?" Mira asked biting her lip.

"I thought I knew at first, but then everything changed and I have no idea what is going on."

"What did you think it was?"

"I thought Salamander might finally be coming into his inheritance, but he's apparently not."

"Inheritence?"

"Dragon puberty."

"What?"

"Basically, they have to claim their mate, when they meet they know who it'll be, but they have to come in their inheritance before they can claim their mate as theirs."

"And you have come into this inheritance?" Mira was smirking.

"That's really none of your business." Gajeel growled before turning and leaving the guild hall.

-oOo-

"I'm back!" Natsu yelled out several hours later upon his entrance to the guild. Lucy had checked in for a moment before she left, taking some light snacks with her for the ride. Lisanna looked up from the bar to watch him walk through the crowd. "Where's the new member you were telling me about Lisanna?"

Several people looked up at her in surprise, Makarov especially as he was sitting at the end of the bar.

"She's not here Natsu, she went on a mission with Levy and Gajeel."

"They better take good care of her then, I wanna meet this person, maybe she's strong and we can fight each other!" Natsu cheered, throwing himself into a nearby chair. Lisanna pursed her lips and moved down to clean the counter near the master.

"Are you alright child?" Makarov asked.

"Not really, I'm worried about Natsu and Lucy."

"What's going on?"

"Natsu doesn't remember Lucy at all."

"And he remembers the other members we've added?"

"Just fine, it's like she's been wiped clear of his memory and he has no clue about anything they've done together."

"We're going to have to keep a close eye on the pair of them." Makarov told her.

"I'll try and keep them from each other for as long as I can, I'm scared of what will happen when he finally sees her."

-oOo-

"I'm exhausted," Lucy complained as Levy dragged her back to the guild.

"I want to make sure you see Wendy and get some food in you, that cut is nasty." Levy argued, Gajeel didn't dare say anything. He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair, neither of the girls knew what they were about to walk into.

"Levy-chan," Lucy whined.

"Wendy I want you to clean up Lucy!" Levy called out once they had entered the guild hall. Lisanna froze and turned, Natsu was sitting at the bar and they had no way of getting him out of the hall.

"Let's go back to the infirmary," Wendy took Lucy's hand and began to pull her towards the back of the hall where they could go upstairs and take care of her wounds. Erza and Gray waved from where they were sitting, Juvia glared in Lucy's direction causing the blond to roll her eyes.

"Hey Lisanna, is this the new member you were talking about?" Natsu had turned to look at the woman who was now extremely confused about what was going on. Gajeel looked like he wanted to strangle the pink haired man. He thrust out his hand to Lucy, "I'm Natsu."

"Lucy," She replied grasping his hand in hers, still very confused about what was going on. Natsu's hand flared up and Lucy cried out in shock as the skin of her hand started to burn and blister. Natsu yanked his hand back in surprise and began to back away quickly, Lucy could see the recognition in his eyes as Gray slammed him to the ground.

"What'd you go and do that for?" Gray yelled at him, Natsu didn't retaliate. Wendy quickly dragged Lucy away and Jet left to go find Porlyusica after a look from Makarov.

"I didn't mean to," Lucy heard Natsu reply before she was shut off from the commotion.

-oOo-

"I can't control it, I'm gonna hurt her, I've got to forget." Natsu leaned forward on his knees, pressing his head into the floor.

"Natsu?" Erza took a step forward and he looked up at her, before a pulse of magic escaped him and slammed her into the wall across the bar.

"I can't, I can't do anything." His hands came up to clutch at his head, pulling on his hair as he screamed in agony in front of everyone he cared for. Gray pushed his way forward, nearly tumbling backwards several times from the rush of power pulsating around the dragon slayer. He placed his own hands over Natsu's and froze them so he could no longer form any fire. Natsu rolled over on to his side, whimpering and shaking. Everyone in the guild looked to Makarov who was staring at the member of his guild with pity and confusion, he had never witnessed this happen before.


End file.
